And the Winds of Destiny
by Hellborne
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow? - NOTE: This is the sequel to “The Makings of a Pirate”. If you don’t read the first story, you’re missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven’t read it, please go do so and come back or you won’t understand anything.
1. Prologue Preparations and Trepidations

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, no more writing. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Prologue - Preparations and Trepidation  
  
Lord Raymond Smythe-Douglass, governor of Jamaica, sat patiently as his butler dressed him in the fiery red satin costume that he'd chosen for the annual Christmas ball. As he donned the mask, he stood up and posed for the man, almost twirling in his delight. "Now, Anthony, isn't this just the most exquisite Satan costume you've ever seen?"  
  
"Yes, milord." Anthony was used to the carryings on of the popinjay governor and tended to humor him, although this was a very realistic costume as far as he was concerned. The mask was horrific, with long, straight horns that rose two feet above the governor's head. The tail was constructed in such a way that the wearer could make it wag by tugging on a thin wire that strung back through the costume and down the sleeve to a ring on his left hand. Merely moving the arm naturally caused it to move almost as if it were alive. The governor also seemed to be in high spirits for the first time since taking office. Anthony was used to him being melancholy, moody, and very proper, though never angry.  
  
But tonight was special. Governor Smythe-Douglass couldn't wait for the ball to start. He looked at the clock on the desk and frowned. "Two more hours. Anthony, is everything ready? I do so want this to be a party that people will talk about till the next one!"  
  
It was as if the governor had been shoved back into childhood with his new enthusiasm. Anthony hoped it would last past the party. The governor was a good man, and he'd like to see him happier. /I guess being thrust into office when you already own half the island would make anyone bored and melancholy./ "Yes, milord. The hall and the food are ready, and the servants are all in place. We have but to wait for the guests."  
  
"Splendid!" The governor pranced out of the room to go bother the other servants some more,  
  
- -   
  
"I refuse to wear it on the grounds that it makes me look ridiculous."  
  
"Now Robert. If you don't wear it, everyone will recognize you." Lizzy was giggling, but she knew her costumes. "Will isn't complaining about HIS costume."  
  
Will glared at her out of the long folds of black fabric. "Who's not complaining?"  
  
"But WILL, there's nothing to complain about. Nobody will recognize either of you in those costumes."  
  
"But don't you think someone will recognize YOU in YOUR costume?" Will frowned.  
  
"ONE, it doesn't matter if they do or not, since they don't seem to realize that I'm a pirate. And TWO, I've heard that this costume has become the rage in Port Royal. Many of the ladies will be wearing one just like it. I'll fit in quite well. And so will both of YOU, so stop arguing. And by the way, you'd better start practicing using different voices." She pointed at Robert's chest. "Especially YOU, Robert."  
  
Both men shrugged. It was impossible to get the upper hand with Elizabeth Swann once she'd made her mind up.  
  
"You DO have the presents, don't you?" She looked sidelong at Robert.  
  
He grinned broadly. "Of course." He presented a box large enough for a pair of boots. It was wrapped in brightly printed, light and airy cloth instead of paper, and had a red and green ribbon around it. "I believe he'll appreciate this gift more than all the gold in the world."  
  
Lizzy smiled. "I know. When Lt. Groves told us how miserable he was I decided he just HAD to have them."  
  
Robert stopped smiling. "I only wish that the situation were different for him." Lizzy and Will agreed, and Lizzy left to don her own costume. It was almost time to leave for the ball.  
  
- -   
  
TBC  
  
A/N: It would be great to get paid for this, it's a true labor of love...and it gives a writer enough warm fuzzies to go on when someone tells them their work is worthy of comment. When someone appreciates (or hates) their work enough to comment, it feeds the plot bunnies. If you don't say what you like or don't like, whine, my writing will never sob get any better...ever. And the plot whimper bunnies will gasp die. I am grateful that you read this, and don't worry about me or the bunnies, I...I know I'm not worthy. I'll just sit here...by the empty review page....alone, in the dark, knee deep in dead bunnies...waiting...sigh Farewell, dear reader, Icough wrote this for you. You deserve it. You are worth it. (and not for that meanie who never, ever leaves reviews - who wouldn't clap hands, either--AND TINKERBELL DIED!)...Now please feed the plot bunnies by hitting the "REVIEW" button!!! 


	2. Chapter 1 Party and Pirates

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, no more writing. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Chapter 1 - Party and Pirates  
  
As the guests were announced as the characters of their costumes, Lord Raymond was at first startled when the name "Jack Sparrow" was announced. He looked, and found to his amazement, a lady who had donned the pirate's clothes and a wig with trinkets and a scarf. Then it became something of a tedium to him, as it seemed that the entire town seemed to think the villain was some kind of dark folk hero, to be imitated or pursued at parties. For it seemed to him that fully a third of the guests, mostly female, had come as the despicable pirate, and were quite popular.  
  
He himself was quite popular, as this was the first official party that had been thrown since he'd taken the governorship, and people were quite interested in meeting him. He stayed polite to all, but seemed to have his mind elsewhere. He didn't even wag the tail very often, though each time he did, the ladies were delighted.  
  
It must have been the fifteenth (or was it the twentieth) "Jack Sparrow" that arrived with "The Angel of Darkness" and "Juliet Capulet." He met them as he had the other guests, but as the porter at the bottom of the stairs tried to take the box from "Juliet," "Jack Sparrow" took it back and gave it directly to the governor, saying, "this gift is too fragile for the gift pile, milord."  
  
The governor smiled. He knew who this "Sparrow" was. "Ah, then pray tell what is it?" He made to shake it but was stopped by the "Angel of Darkness."  
  
"This gift is far too fragile to shake. Perhaps you should open it in the study?"  
  
/That was Will's voice. And if THAT'S Will, and "Sparrow" is Lizzy...oh NO!!/ The governor laughed, unable to control himself and almost dropping the box, which Lizzy grabbed. When he was finally able to bring the laugh down to a giggle, he took the box back. "Yes, let's retire to the study." They all walked to the study, the governor in the rear, closing the door as soon as they were all inside. He started laughing again. "I swear, Robert. You are the prettiest lady at the ball!" He sputtered as he said it, unable to help himself, holding his sides from the pain of his ill controlled mirth.  
  
Robert scowled. "Well, the least you can do is open your present."  
  
Lord Raymond calmed himself again, and looked at the box. "What is it?" He started untying the ribbon.  
  
"It's a little something to cheer you up." Robert grinned.  
  
Lord Raymond finished with the ribbon and unwrapped it. The box was rather plain and had holes in it, so he just plain ripped it open. Inside the box, lying together in a yin-yang position on a little pile of rags just big enough to cover the bottom of the box, were two pure white, baby ferrets. The governor melted. "Satan and Kali had these?"  
  
Lizzy reached into her pocket and pulled out two adult albino ferrets. "Yes, a girl and a boy. And we brought Satan and Kali to visit you as well."  
  
Raymond was almost in tears as he took the two adult ferrets, sat down on the divan, and let them crawl all over him after he nuzzled them. "Oh, I've missed you so much!" He kissed Kali on the nose, then repeated it with Satan. He took the babies out of the box and held them in his hands, nuzzling them to his face. "They're beautiful."  
  
Will was the first to come back to reality. "Governor, you're going to have to get back to the ball. I'm sure we weren't the last to arrive." He took the two adult ferrets and gave them back to Lizzy, who put them in her pocket again.  
  
"Yes, I'll have to go back in there. But not for a couple of minutes at least. Robert, how's my Lady faring?"  
  
"We're getting along quite well, though she misses you a great deal. How is your back?"  
  
"Healed. Looks wretched. Same with the rest. Did Pintel and Ragetti get back all right?"  
  
"Yes. No one saw them."  
  
"Good." Lord Raymond started gently stroking the two ferret kits. "Any problems with any of my old friends?"  
  
"None. With you dead, they've accepted me as Captain of the Pearl without question."  
  
"Any thoughts of going back to the fort?"  
  
"Oh, I missed it for a while..."  
  
"Liar!" Lizzy giggled.  
  
"All right. I haven't missed it at all. You were right...the freedom feels wonderful."  
  
"Good. I've had some reports from the plantation, so I know you're all doing well on that account, and it looks like you decided to let Captain Groves in on our little secret. May I ask why? I mean, he's trustworthy and all, but why did you take the chance?"  
  
Robert smiled. "Captain Groves is a good man. He's kept many a confidence, and besides...I knew he'd be very downhearted when you were hanged. He believed you to be the best pirate he'd ever seen, and the look on his face was almost hero worship. In fact, should you ever retire from the governorship and go back to your former profession, I know that he'd be more than happy to abandon his post and follow you anywhere."  
  
"I know that, actually. He asked me if I would take him to be my butler, but I need information from the Commodore that only Captain Groves can seem to get, so I had to turn him down. But I wanted to thank you for telling him, even if I didn't know your original reason." He stood up, placing the two furry puffballs gently into a huge brandy snifter and held out his other hand to Robert. Raymond grinned. "Milady, it would be a privilege to escort you back to the ball." Robert scowled, but took his hand, allowing himself to be led out of the study.  
  
- -   
  
After all of the introductions were over, Lord Raymond seemed to fall into his old habit before he became governor: He stayed with the ladies, talking with them, wiggling his tail, and introducing them to his new pets. When one of the ladies asked what their names were, he replied that he had just received them as a gift, so he didn't have names for them yet. This instigated a contest for the rest of the evening to name the cute little fuzzbutts.  
  
Captain Groves was handling Commodore Gillette rather well, keeping him away from the pirates and from Lord Raymond as was planned.  
  
The evening was turning out even better than the governor had hoped. He danced with several of the ladies, including Lizzy and "Juliet," and looked for all intents and purposes to be a perfectly happy poof. He'd even had a little "quiet time" in the study talking longer with the three pirates who he called "friends."  
  
Near midnight, after the pirates had gone and everyone was waiting for the unmasking, a cannonball came barreling through the mansion, and the sounds of guns could be heard from the fort and the harbor. Naval officers in various costumes streamed out the door heading to the fort, and the party fairly broke up at that point; people running to the back of the mansion or panicking into the night. Captain Groves, dressed as a colorful rooster, moved Governor Smythe-Douglass to his chambers on the second floor and closed the door. "Governor, did you know anything about this?"  
  
"No. It's not the Pearl. I'd know her guns anywhere." He went to the bench next to the window, opened it and pulled out a spyglass. He looked out the window through it toward the docks. "I don't recognize that ship, Ted. It's big though...fifty guns at least." He saw something coming into his scope. Guns fired at the ship. "Now THOSE guns are the Pearl's. Ted, go to the fort and make sure they only shoot at the ship that's firing at US. Make sure they know the Pearl is fighting against the attacker and not the fort. I don't want the Pearl sunk under any circumstances." He kept watching the battle through the spyglass.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Groves made to go to the fort, but when he reached the door, it burst in on him, hitting him in the head and knocking him unconscious. Lord Raymond whipped around. There were four rather large, dirty men making their way through the door, two picking up Groves, and two heading for him. He held his hand up and they stopped for a moment. "Excuse me, but if this is a kidnap, please allow me to dress more suitably." He started toward his wardrobe, and was grabbed roughly by one of the men. "See here, but kidnapping the devil and a rooster is rather embarrassing, even for you, I would think. At least bring some extra clothes if you don't believe that I just wanted to change."  
  
They dragged Captain Groves out and walked him behind. One of them pointed a dagger at him. "We've got clothes for ye to wear on the Dragon, Governor."  
  
"Oh, well all right then." He went quietly, hoping that his butler would know what to do.  
  
- -   
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Remember, writing fanfic is a labor of love. The only payment that fanfic authors receive are reviews. So please hit the REVIEW button on your way out. PLEEEEEEEZE? 


	3. Chapter 2 The Devil and the Dragon

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean - PG-13  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, no more writing. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Chapter 2 - The Devil and the Dragon  
  
Robert watched as the prisoners were brought aboard the Dragon and ordered the guns to cease fire and prepare to sail. He would follow the Dragon to the depths of hell to retrieve Lord Raymond and Captain Groves. The fort, on the other hand, started firing on both ships, thinking the Black Pearl would start firing on them instead.  
  
- -   
  
Once aboard, they separated the two costumed men. Groves was brought below deck, while Lord Smythe-Douglass was taken to the captain's cabin. Waiting at the great table that was laid out for dinner and covered with various appetizing dishes, was the Dragon's captain. He was truly a mountain of a man, even seated, with a mane of red hair that was held down by a scarf, though a large, feathered hat was on a chair at his side. As the men handling the governor pushed him into a chair, the captain stood up and nodded to Lord Raymond. "Welcome to the Dragon, Lord Smythe-Douglass. I am Captain Shamus O'Sullivan. While I apologize for the method of your arrival and your unfortunate attire; come, enjoy a meal with me, I beg you." He waved at the food, walking around the table to serve. "Please. What would be your pleasure, Governor?"  
  
Lord Raymond brushed himself off, apparently trying to get rid of the dirt from the men's hands. He could feel that the ship had left the harbor and was now in open water. From the lack of rocking, the ship was moving with the wind, and he distinctly remembered the wind was coming out of the West. /Tortuga perhaps./ "Captain, let's get to the point of this little meeting. Why am I here, and what are you going to do to me and to the gentleman that they took below? A slice of roast, if you please."  
  
The captain sliced a piece of roast and put it on Lord Raymond's plate. "Ah, a politician who doesn't mince words. Amazing." Captain O'Sullivan grinned. "Well, Governor, as I'm not rightly sure who the man is who came with you, I can't say what I'll do with him. Perhaps you would enlighten me? Black pudding?"  
  
The governor raised his eyebrows and thought quickly. "He is my assistant, and I would appreciate that you allow him to stay with me, as I am not accustomed to being without his aid. No thank you. Yorkshire pudding? And perhaps some potatoes."  
  
"Certainly." He scooped some pudding and some of the new potatoes onto the plate. "So would you say that he is 'valuable' to the government?" He pointed at yet another dish. "Turkey, perhaps?"  
  
"No more than I am. If it's ransom you're after, the government won't pay a farthing for either of us. Yes, please."  
  
The pirate grinned as he sliced the turkey. "Now why don't I believe that?" He placed the slice onto the governor's plate.  
  
"I'm sure I wouldn't know. That's enough, thank you."  
  
The pirate captain placed the plate before Lord Raymond. "Drink?"  
  
"Water will be fine, or, tea, if you have it."  
  
"Certainly." He prepared a cup of tea for the governor and placed it in front of him. "Enjoy." Captain O'Sullivan moved back to his own place and sat down.  
  
Lord Raymond daintily sliced some meat and ate it. "My compliments. This turkey is excellent." He took a sip of the tea. "Now Captain, if you wish to ransom me, it will benefit both of us quite a bit more if you do so through my companies than the government. And of course, the same goes for my assistant. Now, how much were you thinking of as a ransom?" He took a new potato on his fork and popped it into his mouth.  
  
The captain smiled sweetly. On him it looked like a grimace. "I was thinking of ten thousand guineas for you. And I suppose another thousand for your assistant."  
  
The governor almost choked on the potato, laughing. "Oh why be so generous, captain? I'm sure you could get more for me than that, if you don't try to get it from the government, which has little enough money to run things, let alone to pay a ransom for a governor who is out of favor with His Majesty. My suggestion to you is to send the ransom demand to the barman at the Gilded Tankard in Montego Bay." He sliced off some roast and ate it.  
  
"A barman? Do you think I'm daft?"  
  
"Only if you don't follow my suggestion, my dear Captain." Lord Raymond took a sip of the tea. "Excellent tea, Captain. The barman at the Gilded Tankard is the one man in Montego Bay that has the authority to make deals in my name. Bring him the demand and you will have your ransom in short order. And if you raise the ransom to twenty-five thousand guineas for the both of us, he perhaps won't have a mind to laugh at you. Ten thousand guineas. Indeed, Captain. Even out of favor, I am still worth more than that. At least to my own companies and holdings I am. Now, when do you plan on sending the ransom demand and how are you planning on doing it?" He took another sip of the tea.  
  
Captain O'Sullivan watched the governor drink, smiling. "I thought we'd give them a week to stew on it, then send our demands with proof that we've got you."  
  
"Proof?" He delicately stabbed another potato and bit into it. "What kind of proof are you thinking of?"  
  
"I was thinking that your signet ring would be adequate proof." He grinned in a way that said more.  
  
"And the finger wearing it, I suppose." The governor sipped his tea casually.  
  
"Aye, I was thinking that would help them make their decision faster."  
  
"Actually, Captain O'Sullivan, what that would do is anger a group of people in such a way that I suspect that you would be begging for an imaginary mercy that would never come. I'm afraid that I'm rather popular with various groups who are rather, shall we say, protective of me. No, Captain O'Sullivan. What I would suggest is that you send my assistant Theodore with the message. It would also guarantee that you would receive your ransom that much quicker. Oh, and I don't believe that you need to take a week out for anyone to realize that I'm gone. You did, after all, interrupt my Christmas Ball. I would say that the entire aristocracy and a large number of others know that I've been taken."  
  
Over a mouthful of roast, the captain grinned. "Governor, you seem awfully calm aboard a pirate ship. And here you are helping me with the ransom demand. I ask myself why?"  
  
"I can assure you that I am, how do you say it? 'Quaking in my boots.' However, I am also an Earl in His Majesty's court, and should word get out that I was less than completely composed, I would be the laughing stock of England. I'm sorry, Captain. No matter what I may feel inside, you will not find me other than perfectly in control on the outside. It's in the upbringing. Now, do you perhaps have something that I can change into? This costume, while comfortable, is not what I would like to be ransomed in."  
  
"Let alone rescued, eh? Governor, while my men were out abducting you and your assistant, the Black Pearl sailed in out of nowhere and attacked us. I want to know what you have to do with the Black Pearl."  
  
Lord Raymond looked surprised. "The Black Pearl?" He laughed. "No 'rescue' for me from that ship, Captain, I assure you. I hanged their captain. They had probably planned on interrupting my party the way you did, but when you beat them to it, they fired on you thinking maybe you'd hand me over. They were definitely angry when I hanged Captain Sparrow."  
  
"YOU hanged Jack Sparrow? I hardly believe that, Governor. You don't seem the type capable of ordering a man hanged."  
  
The Governor smiled sweetly. "I don't? I can assure you, Captain O'Sullivan, that I personally gave the order to hang Jack Sparrow, just as I shall personally give the order to hang Shamus O'Sullivan." The smile never left his face.  
  
O'Sullivan shot up and around the table in a flash, grabbing the governor by the collar. He dragged him to the door. "Hoyt! Take him below and put him in the brig with the rooster!"  
  
Hoyt grabbed Lord Raymond by the arm and hauled him away, jerking when the governor didn't go fast enough.  
  
- -   
  
TBC 


	4. Chapter 3 Old Scars and New

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, no more writing. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Chapter 3 - Old Scars and New  
  
Captain Groves was not happy. He was sitting in the brig of a pirate ship in a rooster costume. A ROOSTER costume! He thought of Lord Raymond in his devil costume and hoped that the pirates didn't force him to change his clothing. Who knows what they would do if they saw all the marks on the man. One thing was sure; Lord Raymond's body was not that of an aristocrat.  
  
He sat on the small bench at the back of the cell, watching the ladder leading the upper decks, waiting. He could tell that the ship had weighed anchor and was now sailing with the wind, and unless the wind direction had changed since he arrived at the ball, they were headed west. He wondered what was in store for him if they found out he was a naval captain. Hell, he wondered what was in store for him as a rooster.  
  
When the hatch opened, the first thing he saw were a pair of red shoes, followed by red legs and a silken barbed tail, bobbing and wagging as its owner climbed down the ladder. /At least they didn't change his clothes./ Lord Raymond was followed down the ladder by a man almost twice the governor's size. /Well, the governor is rather slight./  
  
The large man looked at Groves. "Stay over there." He fit the key into the lock, opened the door and shoved the governor into the cell, relocking it and leaving them alone.  
  
Lord Raymond picked himself up, trying to brush the grime off of his costume. The tail wagged wildly from the wire being pulled. Groves tried to stifle a laugh and snorted. The governor looked at him, one eyebrow raised in question. "I'm sorry, Raymond. It's just that you're still wearing the ring that controls the tail, and the way it swished around while you were cleaning yourself off..."  
  
Raymond laughed, taking the ring off and letting it escape into the costume to its resting place. "I can picture it. You're right." He started examining the bars, then sat on the bench, quiet. "I think I pushed him a bit far."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Well, we were talking about the ransom and the best way to get it and move this little holiday jaunt behind us as it were, when he brought up the Black Pearl. Then he claimed that I didn't have the backbone to order Jack Sparrow hanged. I told him that I did, and that I'd see him hanged too, and I guess he took that as an insult, so he had me thrown in here. For a moment there I thought he was going to have me flogged."  
  
"But how would you explain your back? Or your arm?"  
  
Raymond smiled. Don't worry, Ted. The most he can find out about me through either of those areas is that I'm rather clumsy."  
  
"What? I've seen your back."  
  
"You saw my back before I became governor. Shortly after I arrived at Port Royal, I had a visit from a couple of friends of mine whom I had sent for. Thanks to them, my back and my arm look nothing like they used to."  
  
"What did they do to you?"  
  
Raymond paled slightly from the memory and cocked his head, listening. He lowered his voice almost to a whisper. "I had them pour boiling oil on all of my scars." Groves paled, looking slightly ill. Lord Raymond had a LOT of scars. "Not all at once, you understand. I couldn't afford to burn too much of me at once. But all of the old scars have been replaced completely."   
  
Ted took hold of the governor's right hand and pulled the sleeve up to the elbow. What he found was a horrible looking scar that went from elbow to wrist all around the arm. There was no sign of anything else having been there. "How did you get rid of the tattoo?"  
  
"Nothing that a little skin removal couldn't fix." Groves looked horrified. "Don't worry. Not all the skin. Just down far enough that the ink came off. I took care of that part myself just before I sent word to my friends." He replaced the sleeve over his arm.  
  
"So how are we going to get out of here?"  
  
"Well, that will depend on whether the good Captain O'Sullivan takes my suggestion or not. If he does, you could be out of here by tomorrow, and I might be free by the day after, depending on how long it will take Georges to get the ransom from the plantation."  
  
"Georges, sir?"  
  
"The barman at the Gilded Tankard in Montego Bay."  
  
"Why him?"  
  
"Because he's my business manager while I'm away."  
  
"A barman?"  
  
"Can you imagine someone better to know all the goings on of a town? And he's very good at keeping track of all my holdings, as he used to be an accountant. So I have the best of both worlds."  
  
Ted laughed. "He used to be an accountant? And now he's a barman. Then again, considering who his employer is, it doesn't surprise me."  
  
"Luckily, it WOULD surprise anyone else, which is why he's so valuable to me. Now, if O'Sullivan does not take my advice, we may be here for a week or two...or at least most of us may."  
  
"Most of us?"  
  
"He's thinking of sending my ring with his ransom demand...with the finger still in it, of course." Lord Raymond looked at his hand, examining the ring and the forefinger on his right hand. "I hope he takes my advice. I'd definitely miss that finger." The ship started to list slightly to larboard. He smiled. "Looks like he is taking my advice." He stopped, hearing something. "They're coming."  
  
- -   
  
TBC 


	5. Chapter 4 Crime and Punishment

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, no more writing. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Chapter 4 - Crime and Punishment  
  
Two men climbed down the ladder and motioned Groves with a pistol to stay seated while Lord Raymond came to the door of the cell. Raymond looked back at Ted, who looked nervous. Raymond smiled. "Don't worry, Ted. I'll be fine." He climbed the ladder, followed by the two other men.  
  
When he reached the main deck, he knew he was in trouble. The area around the mainmast had been cleared, and Captain O'Sullivan and his quartermaster were standing at the ready, the quartermaster holding a long, coiled whip at his side. Raymond looked up at the stars and the sails. /Good. We've come around./  
  
Captain O'Sullivan cleared his throat, bringing Raymond's attention back. "Lord Smythe-Douglas, you have been much help in planning your ransom. We shall be doing as you have suggested, and are even now heading toward Montego Bay. However, your impertinent comment at the end of our polite little chat has insulted me to the quick, and as I cannot allow such insolence aboard my ship, you understand that you must be punished, though it pains me to have such a fine, upstanding popinjay as yourself flogged." The crew laughed.  
  
One of the guards grabbed Lord Raymond by the upper arms and held him as the other removed his shirt. There were gasps as the pirate crew saw his ruined back. They tied him by his wrists around the mainmast and stepped back. Captain O'Sullivan stepped forward into his view. "Nothing personal, governor, but I cannot lose the respect of my men."  
  
Lord Raymond remained calm. "How many?"  
  
"Threatening a captain should earn you death, governor. However, since you are worth far more to us alive than dead, we have decided to be lenient with you. You shall receive Moses' Law."  
  
The governor nodded solemnly. "Have at it then." He closed his eyes and drew deep into himself, relaxing his back as he leaned against the mainmast. When the first of the blows landed, he flinched slightly, and realized that the quartermaster was being lenient with him indeed; while the whip caused his back pain and left great weals of red, he knew that it could be much worse. He drew himself deeper into his meditation and tried to bear it gracefully. As the blows crisscrossed each other, his thoughts started to get interrupted by pain.  
  
At the thirtieth blow, he screamed. It seemed the quartermaster had run out of leniency.  
  
By the final blow, Raymond was hoarse and close to passing out, but as they untied his wrists, he grabbed the mainmast and turned around without assistance. The two guards took and held him by the arms, more as support than anything else. As he walked slowly to the hatch leading to the brig, he heard many voices from the crew mumbling, and most of those voices were in awe.  
  
- -   
  
Captain Groves heard the flogging through the open hatch. He counted them as they happened, and though he was sure that Raymond could withstand flogging better than most men, it still amazed him that he stayed quiet till the thirtieth blow.  
  
He was astounded again when he saw the governor descend the steps with minimal help, though his head was bowed and his hair had come out of its queue and was hanging free. One guard opened the door to the brig while the other brought Raymond all the way to the rear of the cell and helped him sit down, giving Groves the red devil's shirt and leaving after saluting the governor, though Raymond had not lifted his head. The two men silently climbed the ladder, one returning with bucket and rag and leaving again.  
  
After the hatch was closed, Lord Raymond raised his head weakly. Groves noticed that he had a familiar wild-eyed visage on his face, and the freed hair around it made him even more familiar looking. He gasped. "Raymond, we've got to do something. You're looking very familiar to me, if you know what I mean."  
  
Raymond nodded, his breathing fast and shallow. He took a deep breath and held it, closing his eyes, then started breathing slowly and deeply, almost as if he were asleep.  
  
Ted could see the muscles in his face reforming to the way they belonged to Governor Smythe-Douglass. He ripped one of the cloth "feathers" from the red tail of his costume, removed the wire, and tied Raymond's hair back.  
  
Lord Raymond opened his eyes and looked at his friend. His voice was hoarse but strong. "How is it now?"  
  
"Good. You're back to normal. I still don't understand how you do that."  
  
"Took years to master. Learned it in India. I'm just glad the quartermaster went easy on me. I'm way out of practice in regards to pain."  
  
Ted took the rag and soaked it in the bucket. Raymond turned so that his back faced Ted and heard a quick intake of breath.  
  
"Lord Raymond, I do not believe they 'went easy' on you." Ted cleaned the blood off of the torn back. "No, Raymond. They most definitely did not 'take it easy' on you. Your back will need stitching." He did what he could and laid the rewetted rag over his back, letting Raymond's long, hip-length hair fall over it in its queue.  
  
It didn't take long for the guards to come back down to the brig. This time they bore manacles and called "the rooster" out first. While one fitted him with manacles on his wrists, the other walked into the cell, gently fitted the other pair of manacles onto Lord Raymond's wrists, and helped him walk out of the cell.  
  
Raymond thanked him for his assistance, and climbed the ladder followed closely by Ted and the two guards.  
  
- -   
  
Captain O'Sullivan helped seat Lord Raymond personally, and motioned Ted to a seat as well. The food from before had been replaced with bowls of fresh and marinated fruit, and there was even cream in a couple of small pitchers around the table. Once he stood at the head of the table, he bowed to Raymond. "Governor, you have the respect of me and my crew, and I'd like to make you feel as comfortable as the situation allows. I'm afraid I can't just let you walk free on deck since we are skirting Jamaica so closely, but as long as the manacles remain on your wrists, you and your assistant have free run of the ship till our arrival at Montego Bay."  
  
Raymond reached for a banana and winced slightly. Ted passed him the banana and one of the pitchers of cream. The governor smiled and thanked the pirate for his hospitality.  
  
Ted spoke up. "Captain, I've done everything that I can, but Lord Raymond's back requires stitching."  
  
O'Sullivan nodded. He went to the door and threw it open. "Dennings! Bring your sewing kit! Lord Raymond's back needs tending!" By the time he walked back to his seat at the table, a small, elderly man came through the door and stood quietly behind Lord Raymond, kit in hand.  
  
Raymond whispered, "thank you," and was helped to a small room off of the main cabin.  
  
Captain O'Sullivan nodded at Ted. "Eat up."  
  
Ted took a few marinated cherries into a bowl and poured cream over them. He took a careful bite, gave the captain a surprised look, and ate them much faster. "Captain, these are delicious! How are they made?"  
  
O'Sullivan grinned. "The cherries have been marinated in brandy and sugar, and the cream's been sweetened as well. Pierre's the best cook I've ever had. They say he can make bilge water taste good."  
  
Several minutes later as they were finishing, Dennings walked silently into the main cabin. "He's restin' comfortably. He didn't want any, but I made 'im drink some rum for the pain. Cap'n, I think ye should see this." Ted and the captain rose and walked into the small room.  
  
The man on the bed was lying on his back, his hair out of his queue and draped carelessly over his shoulders, though the red scrap of material had been tied around his forehead to keep it out of his face. The dark shadow of his whiskers almost made him look like he had a beard and mustache. He had bandages wrapped around his upper torso, though there was a blanket laying over him up to his stomach. The rum had relaxed him completely, and his face looked tranquil, as every muscle in it lay slack. There was no mistaking it. The man sleeping serenely on the bed was Jack Sparrow.  
  
- -   
  
TBC 


	6. Chapter 5 Relative Confusion and Revela...

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne  
  
Pirates of the Caribbean  
  
Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.  
  
Typing convention: / is used for thoughts.  
  
Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?  
  
Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!  
  
N/A: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.  
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.  
  
A/N: First of all, thank you all who reviewed! It made me feel a lot better!  
  
NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, muses go out gambling and leave me with no ideas. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE???  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
May the wind always be at your back  
  
And the sun always upon your face  
  
And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")  
  
- - - - - - -   
  
Chapter 5 - Relative Confusion and Revelation  
  
Captain O'Sullivan looked at Groves. "Did you know this, or did he manage to pull the wool over everyone's eyes?"  
  
"Know what? That the governor looks like his cousin? Of course. Why do you think he doesn't drink? He doesn't want to be identified as being related to the man. Believe me, Captain, O'Sullivan. There was no love lost between Lord Raymond and Jack Sparrow. He was so glad to see him hanged that he had the pirate's gold teeth pulled. They're in Lord Raymond's offices in the governor's mansion at the base of a painting of the gallows. His shipping companies and rum company had been the victim of that pirate for years."  
  
Dennings shook his head. "I sailed with Jack Sparrow for three years, and I swear it's him."  
  
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Dennings. While I admit that the resemblance can be uncanny, I was with Lord Raymond when he visited Sparrow in the gaol the night before Sparrow's hanging. Sparrow was furious with the Governor for daring to sign the order to hang him. He said it would bring a curse down on Lord Raymond if he hanged his own cousin. But he swung the next morning, and there has been nothing but clear sailing for the governor since. Until last night when your men arrived, anyway." Groves hoped that the cover story would work.  
  
O'Sullivan looked at Groves, who appeared calm. "That is an interesting piece of news, sir. One that, perhaps, the governor might wish to pay a stipend to protect."  
  
"I'm sure that could be arranged, Captain. Although Lord Raymond can be a most stubborn man, he can usually be coaxed into seeing reason."  
  
"Of course. And he does seem to be a fair man. Certainly he isn't a greedy man by what I've heard of him. That IS the reason we took him, actually. As far as politicians are concerned, he seems a very fine governor. Though hanging his own cousin seems a mite overzealous against pirates. Jack Sparrow was never one to be bloodthirsty or overly greedy. Only killed those who were trying to kill him or those he was responsible for. I met him once, and though he made people think he was crazy, if you ask me, I'd say it was all an act. He was a fine man; smarter than most. He was just too sentimental to be a good pirate, truth to tell. It's no wonder the Black Pearl wants the governor. His crew was loyal enough that he didn't need to renew ships' articles unless someone left, and that didn't happen often."  
  
O'Sullivan pointed to a hammock above the bed. "That's for you. That way you can be near the governor when he comes to."  
  
"Thank you, Captain. These are actually perfect accommodations." O'Sullivan walked out. Groves sniffed Raymond's breath. /There's more at work than rum here. It smells like laudanum. So that's how they knocked him out! I knew rum alone couldn't do it./ He carefully removed his rooster costume, ripping off the shirt because of the manacles and leaving his underclothes on, climbed into the hammock and fell asleep.  
  
- -   
  
Robert made sure to keep the Dragon barely within spyglass range. /Idiots. They're leaving their lights on at night. This will be easy./  
  
About an hour before the end of the mid watch, the Black Pearl was a mere hundred feet astern of the Dragon, with her longboats lowered and loaded with crewmembers ready to give their lives if need be in order to save Lord Raymond.  
  
- -   
  
A bell was ringing. His head was ringing. Lord Raymond sat up, banging his head on something soft. Above him, looking down from a hammock, was Captain Groves. "Ted, my head hurts. It's ringing. What happened?"  
  
"Your head isn't ringing, milord. This ship is under attack. You were drugged last night. I had to tell them about 'your cousin.'"  
  
"Did it go well?"  
  
"Yes. So well, in fact, that O'Sullivan intends to blackmail you."  
  
"That's fine." A gun report was heard. "Ah. A rescue then. Robert's arrived."  
  
"But with the story about your cousin, O'Sullivan believes the Pearl's crew mean to kill you."  
  
"Hmm...that could be a problem. O'Sullivan is greedy enough to defend me. Or..."  
  
The door opened. O'Sullivan and the two men stood there, pistols ready. They were obviously not happy about something. O'Sullivan held a small hatchet in his hand. "As much as it pains me, it appears you must take your leave of us. The Black Pearl's crew have boarded this ship and are demanding you and your assistant. However, as I will not have you for the ransom..." He lifted the hatchet. "I shall need 'proof' that I've got you. Please make this easy or I'll have to remove other parts to prove my sincerity." He looked deadly serious.  
  
"Now just a moment. I'm sure that we can all come to an agreement. Let me write and seal a letter for payment. You'll get your money without having to take pieces off of me."  
  
"They won't respect the letter after you're dead."  
  
"Yes they will. I'll backdate it to before the attack and state in the letter that it's payment for services rendered. They'll honor it. Then you take the manacles off of us so that we have a fighting chance to swim to shore. So you see, it's a fair trade. Is that acceptable?"  
  
"Ah, but what if you DO get free and get to Montego Bay ahead of us?"  
  
"I said, 'for services rendered.' I consider it a great service to give us a chance for life against the Black Pearl, and worth every farthing. So decide, but do it quickly, before they get here."  
  
O'Sullivan thought for only a second. "We have an accord. See that you don't go back on it." He had one of the men run for the paper, pen and wax while he unlocked the manacles. They all moved into the great cabin.  
  
- -   
  
As Raymond pressed his ring to the wax seal, the outer door burst open. Robert and six men stood there, cutlasses drawn. O'Sullivan started toward them, but Lord Raymond lifted his hand and spoke in a commanding voice. "Stop! I'll not have any more bloodshed on my account! Captain James, if I am the reason you have attacked this ship, please order your men to cease hostilities. I'll go quietly, as will my assistant. Captain O'Sullivan, thank you for your hospitality, but there is no need to lose more lives in my defense. Now, if everyone will allow my assistant and I a moment to get dressed..."  
  
Robert picked up on what was happening and sent one of his men to stop the attack. "I'm afraid we won't have time for that, governor." Groves gave Robert a dirty look. "Take them." The five pirates grabbed both of them, ushering them out in their underclothes.  
  
As they brought the two almost naked men aboard the Pearl, there was a titter of laughter from the helm. Lizzy was obviously enjoying the view.  
  
As soon as Raymond's feet hit the deck, he mumbled, "Robert, blow them out of the water. I don't dare let them live." He was ushered into the captain's cabin, followed by Groves and his guards. Once inside the cabin, he requested some clothes for the two of them, walked to the desk and started to pour a tankard of rum. He realized what he was doing and slammed both bottle and tankard onto the desk. "Bugger! Why did the fool have to drug me?! This little fiasco would have been over in the morning if it hadn't been for that!" He collapsed into the chair. They heard and felt the report of the Pearl's guns firing at the other ship.  
  
Shortly thereafter, Robert walked in followed by one man in chains and a guard. "Lord Raymond, this man begged for parlay, offering to join the crew. He said he'd been on the Pearl's crew before. Do you recognize him?"  
  
Raymond looked over. The man in the manacles was Dennings. "Yes. He sailed under me for three years or so nigh on fourteen years ago. He's a good man, and handy with a needle and bandages...even if he's a little liberal on the laudanum."  
  
"So you ARE Jack Sparrow! I knew I was right!"  
  
Jack nodded. "Aye, mate. I was. But you have to understand that Jack Sparrow is dead. Captain James here is sparing your life on my say so. If any word leaks out tying me to Sparrow, your life will be over, savvy?"  
  
He grinned. "I savvy, Lord Raymond. It's just nice havin' one of our own in power."  
  
"No it's not. It's a bloody nuisance. But I'm glad we have an accord."  
  
Robert and the others left, and Raymond and Groves got dressed and followed, watching the Dragon sink as the Pearl started her turn back to Port Royal.  
  
- -   
  
TBC 


	7. Chapter 6 Bloody Commodores!

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne of the Caribbean - PG-13 

Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.

Typing convention/ is used for thoughts.

Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?

Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!

A/N: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.

NOTE: I live for reviews. No reviews, the muses go out gambling (we DO live in Las Vegas, after all) and I can't get any writing done. Can't figure out if anyone likes it if they don't review. So REVIEW! PLEEEEEEZE?

May the wind always be at your back And the sun always upon your face And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")

Chapter 6 - Bloody Commodores!

The two-day trip back to Port Royal was clear sailing with no incidents. As they sailed around the point, however, all eyes turned to the HMS Relentless, the newest man-o-war in the British Navy, not fifty feet away, waiting for them with the commodore on the main deck.

Robert swore and gave the order to raise the white flag even as he heard Gillette's tenor voice yelling at them to stand to and be boarded.

Robert heard Raymond mumbling to himself. "Bloody commodores always wanting to board my Lady!"

Robert looked around at the comment and laughed "Lord Raymond, I daresay, I agree with you, but please remember, she's MY Lady now."

The Earl smiled. "That she is, Robert, and you have taken care of her admirably. But the feelings have never died, and I still love her and always will." He looked over at Gillette and waved enthusiastically, traipsing lightly down the stairs to the quarterdeck, trying to keep the pain from his back out of his facial expression and movements. "Oh Commodore! There's no need to threaten my rescuers!" He watched as the ships were lashed together and a plank drawn between them. He motioned for Groves to go to the other ship while he stayed where he was. They'd discussed it and decided that would be the best way to keep the navy from sinking the Black Pearl. Robert tied off the wheel and strode down the stairs and directly into his cabin.

As Gillette arrived on the deck of the Pearl, Lord Raymond greeted him by holding out his hand, palm down. The Commodore took it, turning it and shaking it firmly. "I'm so glad to see you safe, milord. Have these brigands mistreated you in any way?"

"No, no. Not at all. Captain James has been quite hospitable in fact. You realize that they rescued Captain Groves and me from some nasty pirates who wanted to cut off my finger? Odds bodkins, man. Those monsters on the Dragon had the nerve to FLOG me!"

Gillette was aghast. "Surely they would never do that to you! How many lashes did they have the nerve to give you?"

"Thirty-nine. They gave me the full Moses Law just because I assured their captain that I would see him hang."

"Lord Raymond, you must come with me to the Relentless to have the doctor see to your injuries!"

"Unnecessary, Commodore. The doctor here on the Black Pearl fixed me up quite well, and when we get back to port, I shall have my personal physician see to it. I'm fine. Now, unless I was informed incorrectly, Captain James has invited both of us to his cabin for lunch." He motioned Gillette toward the captain's cabin. "Shall we?"

"Dine with pirates? Are you mad?"

"I daresay the food on this ship is singularly delicious. I tried to bribe their cook away to be my personal chef, but he is quite loyal to Captain James."

Gillette grinned at a memory. "Ah, they must still have the same cook. Skinny, with a glass eye?"

"Yes, that's him."

Gillette's speed into the cabin increased. "He IS a good chef. Let's see what he's cooked up this time."

Lord Raymond tittered. "I thought you didn't want to dine with pirates."

As he reached the door and knocked, Gillette looked at Raymond and smiled. "Most pirates don't eat this well."

The door was opened by Pintel, who ushered them to their seats. Gillette noticed that he even fluffed and set a pillow behind Lord Raymond's back. /Very civil for pirates. I must meet this Captain James and compliment him. Though he is a pirate.../

Pintel gestured to the food. "De captain has been detained by some important ship's business, and has told me to have you start widout him. If dere is anything I can get you gen'lemen, please let me know." He bowed and started serving, starting with Lord Raymond.

The cuisine was wonderful. Hot, fresh bread with garlic butter, a pasta with a white sauce that almost made Gillette inhale the food like a commoner, meatballs that defied description, served in their own, spicy sauce, and wine that Gillette reasoned must have come from a French lord's private stock. There was fresh and marinated fruit and light, filled pastries for dessert. Gillette hadn't eaten this well since he'd been held captive on this very ship six months before. "Magnificent cuisine, sir. Please give my compliments to the chef."

Pintel smiled. "I will sir. Thank you."

Lord Raymond finished the bite he was eating. "Indeed. Please remind Mr. Ragetti that I still have the openings for both of you at the Mansion, and if circumstances don't allow for it now, you are both welcome to come any time."

Pintel grinned. "I'll remind him, Governor, but I know he'll say he's happy here." Pintel suddenly stood back from the table and saluted.

Gillette and Raymond followed his gaze. Captain James had entered the room from behind a set of curtains and was standing quietly, grinning at the two aristocrats. "Still trying to steal my chef, Governor? Shame on you. I thought only pirates and other lowlifes stole things." He'd made his voice a bit gruff to hide his identity from Gillette. He looked quite different from Norrington as well. Though he couldn't hide his aristocratic nose, his hair was long and completely braided in tiny rows down the back of his head and weighted down with trinkets, keeping it out of his face. He had a two-day growth for beard and mustache, as he'd had to shave it for the ball, much to his displeasure, as it was his main disguise from those who knew him. His clothes were fit for piracy...certainly not as a commodore of the Royal Navy, with what was obviously Jack Sparrow's tricorn hat sitting proudly on his head over his own blue scarf.

Lord Raymond looked surprised. "No, Captain. Pirates and other lowlifes as you call them don't GET AWAY with stealing. It's all a matter of social class. The higher the social class, the more likely he is to get away with it." Robert sat down at the head of the table, listening attentively, his hands moving of their own accord to fill his plate. His eyes twinkled. "Take you, for example. You are a wanted man. Why? You are on the bottom rung of the social ladder. You have no tact in your thefts. Now, the merchant class gets away with thievery every day, but they call it "market value" and "profit." Don't anyone tell me that many of the goods sold today are worth as much as people pay for them. I should know; I have many merchant holdings." He tittered into his napkin. "And then there's the Aristocracy. We hold the lower classes accountable for our actions like a royal whipping boy to a prince! We care accountable only to a crown who is so far away as to be nonexistent. And don't get me started on the thefts made by Royalty!"

Robert tipped his head. "And what about slaves?"

"Slavers!" The governor spat on the floor. Pintel hurried over to clean it up, Robert giving him a smile and nod in thanks. "Lowest form of human being in my opinion, but we have to treat them like merchants. Slaves, not even being ON the social ladder, are held accountable for whatever his or her master claims, whether true or not. If it were up to me, there would be no slavery in Jamaica."

"But there are many slaves on the island."

"Yes, and I free them as often as I can."

"Why not just free them by decree?"

"I could do that, yes. And the slaves would be free for as many minutes as it would take their owners to lynch me. No, I'm afraid I can't do it that way till I've abolished it in other ways. Believe me, I'm going as fast as I can."

The more Gillette listened, the more familiar Robert's voice sounded to him. The gruffness of the voice hadn't faltered, but there was SOMETHING about it...and his face was terribly familiar, as if..."Captain, Governor, I apologize for the interruption to such an interesting conversation, but I was wondering if Captain James had seen Miss Wiggles lately?"

Robert looked at him and opened his mouth to speak. Shut it again. "Miss Wiggles?"

A meow was heard from behind the curtain, and a very proper looking white Persian cat padded into the room, sidling up to Robert's leg. "Meow?"

Gillette giggled into his napkin at Robert's embarrassed look. "I'd always thought Sparrow didn't have it in him to kill you. But why did you turn pirate?"

Robert picked up a meatball from his plate with his fingers and gave it to a very contented Miss Wiggles, who took it gently and then ran under the curtain with her prize as if her tail were on fire. The gruffness in his voice disappeared and he smiled. "I'm afraid Commodore Sparrow made me an offer that I couldn't refuse."

Before Gillette could ask, he felt something quickly climb his leg onto his lap. He looked down and saw Satan propped up with his front paws on the table, trying to steal a meatball of his own from Gillette's plate. "I thought this was one of Sparrow's ferrets. So you kept him? Where's the other one?" He started scratching Satan behind the ears, holding him away from his plate.

"Yes, Satan did belong to Jack, but now that I'm captain of the Pearl, he and Kali are mine. As for where Kali is, I have no idea, except that she's on one of the two ships. She's snuck onto other ships before, and once I had to fight the other ship's captain to get her back, as he wanted to keep her."

Lord Raymond smiled. "Not to worry, Commodore. She's not on the Relentless. Point of fact, she crawled into my pocket an hour ago and has been sleeping there ever since. Beautiful ferret. Reminds me of two of my Christmas presents from the Ball. I do hope Loki and Ishtar are all right. After all, I did have to leave rather abruptly."

Commodore Gillette looked at Lord Raymond. "Your butler is taking good care of them, I assure you. They were quite an extravagant gift milord. Who brought them?"

"Actually, it was Captain James, here, who brought them. I believe you danced with him at one point during the evening."

Robert was looking at his food and trying not to laugh. "Indeed he did. Commodore Gillette, you do dance most divinely." He chuckled.

Gillette looked at him, mouth open in total shock. "That tall Juliet! That was you?" Robert nodded, his eyes filled with mirth. "And you didn't tell me?"

Robert laughed. I considered telling you after you kissed my hand, but something told me that I didn't wish you to have me shot, after running me through." All three of them broke into laughter.

Gillette recovered first. "Governor, did you invite pirates to the ball? There were three people in that group."

Lord Raymond smiled. "Yes, there WERE three of them, weren't there? And yes, I did invite them. You see, the other two were Miss Swann and Mr. Turner, and as they are members of this crew, I invited their captain as well. Please remember that Miss Swann was Weatherby's daughter. So of course I invited them."

Gillette gave Satan a meatball and put him on the floor, watching him run beneath the curtain with it. "James-"

"Call me Robert. I've gotten used to that name now."

Gillette swallowed. "Robert...I don't mean to be indelicate, but the question must be asked. Governor Smythe-Douglass had Sparrow hanged. Why isn't the crew - especially Turner and Miss Swann - out for his blood?"

Robert looked at Raymond. Lord Raymond looked back at Robert, a forkful of food frozen half way to his mouth.

TBC


	8. Chapter 7 Relentless and Renegade

And the Winds of Destiny, by Hellborne of the Caribbean - 13+

Copyright. Characters, not mine. See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.

Typing convention/ is used for thoughts. - - is used for scene change/elapsed time.

Summary: How do you cheer up a depressed Sparrow?

Beta: The great BetaGoddess Pendragginink. She's fantastic! And way too modest for her own good!

A/N: Apparently some fangirls went to Greg Ellis and asked him Groves' first name. I don't know if it was in reference for fanfics or if he even reads them, but hopefully he doesn't take offense if he does. Anyway, it's officially Theodore Groves, so any fics that I had previously done have had the name changed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the sequel to "The Makings of a Pirate". If you don't read the first story, you're missing EVERYTHING, so if you haven't read it, please go do so and come back or you won't understand anything.

NOTE: I live for reviews. Being quite depressed lately about my health and missing my job, I could really use some reviews...and don't think I'm begging for cudos! I happen to love flames and constructive criticism just as much and sometimes more! Lord knows, without constructive criticism, I'd have never fixed some of the boo boos I've made!

- - - - - - -

May the wind always be at your back And the sun always upon your face And the winds of destiny to carry you aloft to dance with the stars.  
--Old Irish Blessing as quoted by George Jung ("Blow")

- - - - - - -

Chapter 7 - Relentless and Renegade

Raymond put the fork back on the plate and looked at Gillette. "Probably because, as soon as Sparrow was hanged, I personally granted clemency to each of the crew and gave a Letter of Mark to Captain James. And they've held the ship's activities to that agreement quite well, attacking only Dutch, Spanish and French ships. Plus, I've set them exclusive bounties for every pirate ship that attacks British merchants."

"But for every member of this ship? That is highly irregular."

"Just so. Nevertheless! What better way to keep me alive?"

"But Turner and Miss Swann...surely you could not bribe them enough! Sparrow was a good friend of theirs."

"He was, yes, that is true, but...we discussed it at length. Sparrow is dead. Suffice it to say I'm still alive. I can be very persuasive when it is called for, believe me."

Once lunch was concluded with the serving of nuts, fresh fruits and a fine port, Gillette suggested that he and Lord Raymond adjourn to the Relentless. "After all, it's not like I would try to sink a privateer with a Letter of the Mark. Captain James, be sure you do have that letter with you or some 'glory-seeking naval captain' may try to sink you." He grinned sheepishly.

Robert smiled and pulled an envelope with the governor's seal out of a pocket. "Of course. I keep it on my person at all times." He slipped the envelope away again.

Lord Raymond remained seated. "I should actually prefer to sail in with the Black Pearl. That way, the citizenry understands that Captain James and his crew mean them no harm. I have some business to discuss with Captain James at the Mansion as well, so I do hope it acceptable to you for me to ride in on this ship? I promise to look over your lovely new flagship when my business with Captain James is concluded." Lord Raymond smiled beatifically at the Commodore, his eyes twinkling.

Gillette smiled, obviously proud of his new "toy." "Very good, milord. Oh, would you like me to send Captain Groves back over? I have noticed that he often visits the mansion when he's off-duty, and a few more hours won't be a burden on the navy if you need him."

"No, thank you, Commodore, I suspect that Captain Groves has had quite enough of my antics. And truth to tell, he has been visiting the mansion to see Estrella, the upstairs maid, and so far, he has been quite the gentleman, much to her disgust."

- -

Although he retained a cultured accent, all of the governor's usual poofish mannerisms and vocal inflections were gone. "Now, Robert, I'm not complaining at all you understand. You have outdone me by far in the number of slaves freed, but my question is HOW? With Will and Lizzy on the Pearl, I would assume that you are still down one ship. How is it that you've been capturing four times the number of slavers that I was able to do?"

Robert gave the earl a sheepish grin. "Well, Raymond, please remember that when you were 'in the business,' so to speak, you refused to refurbish the slave ships and employ them to the cause up until Anamaria talked you into keeping the Redeemer. Without a shred of compunction, I admit I have no such aversion. We train the former slaves to sail and to pilot the ships, and then add those who wish to stay with us to the fleet. The Black Pearl only attacks treasure ships and various French or Spanish ships, and lately the Dutch, plus your list of cutthroats, with the help of the Dauntless. I'm sure you will be pleased to know that Marty has renamed her 'Pearl's Big Brother'." Raymond chuckled, grinning and shaking his head at the drollery of it. "Anyway, we refurbish the guns and anything else as required in Will's forge on the Pearl, and they attack the slavers five ships to one. The fleet is now actually thriving at sixty-seven ships and growing. And with the income from the Spanish treasure ships, your payroll has not had to suffer. Point of fact, we are quite self-sufficient."

Lord Raymond was impressed. "And any former slaves that don't wish to hunt slavers go to the plantation at Montego Bay?"

"Yes, of course. That will never change."

"And what do the new crews thing of continuing to live on and use their former vehicles of captivity?"

"They actually seem to enjoy it. They take delight in gutting the ships and refitting them to handle passengers instead of 'cargo'."

"Hmm...If I were in their position, I would want it sunk. Ah well. You're doing wonderfully, Robert. Now, what bounty ships have you sunk and what do I owe?"

The two men spoke at length for several hours, and by the time they finished, it was in the wee hours, early the next morning and both of Lord Raymond's new ferrets were asleep on his lap using each the other as pillows.

As Robert stood up to leave, Raymond finally spoke what was on his mind. "Robert, thank you for rescuing us. I know Ted was getting tired of being O'Sullivan's guest, and I wasn't exactly looking forward to losing any more of me. Seven teeth and some skin off my back is quite enough in my opinion." He held his right hand up, examining it. "And I definitely like my finger right where it is."

- -

Lord Raymond pouted. "Why not? If you want me to look at the Relentless properly, I must see it in action."

"But milord, the dangers! What if we meet up with pirates? I've a duty to keep you safe!"

/I've had it up to HERE with duty! I bloody want some FUN/ "Commodore, there are few pirates left in these waters, and I promise to go hide in my cabin like a rabbit if there's any kind of trouble."

Gillette thought about it. "But your back-"

"-is healing nicely according to Dr. Johnston."

The commodore surrendered. "All right. We sail at dawn with the tide in our favor. If you don't wish to rise that early, you are welcome to board immediately and sleep in your cabin tonight."

"No need for that, Commodore, I'll see you bright and early in the morning then. I have a lot to catch up on tonight."

Bowing, Commodore Gillette left.

- -

When Lord Raymond arrived at the docks bright and chipper in the early morning hours, all eyes were upon him. He wore a quite appropriate set of clothes for sailing, but the lavender coloring of that style clothes made many of the sailors laugh. He pranced up the gangplank with a matching sack over his shoulder, a well-kept pistol in his belt, and a Turner Original at his side. He walked rather daintily into the great cabin, sat at the table and waited.

Gillette walked into the great cabin and bowed to Lord Raymond. "Milord, we are about to set sail. If you would like to observe, you may accompany me on the foredeck."

"Where shall I put my things?"

Gillette quickly helped him stow his gear and they left.

- -

The Relentless was impressive as she sailed, even to Lord Raymond's standards. Larger than the Dauntless at one hundred twelve guns ranged on three gun decks; with her new, sleek design, she was clearly as fast as the Interceptor had been. The first four days had been clear sailing, with only the occasional British merchant ship sighted. By the end of the fifth day, Lord Raymond was getting antsy; he could smell a storm brewing, but he didn't dare say anything to Gillette. Had Groves been aboard, he could have told him, but he didn't know any of the Relentless' crew. Just before sunset, the clouds had rolled in and the wind picked up, causing Captain Shores to drop anchor and furl the sails. A few minutes later, the lookout called "Sail ho!" and the captain looked through his spyglass, handing it to Gillette when he was finished. As Gillette finished, Raymond held his hand out. "May I? It sounds exciting!"

Gillette handed him the spyglass. "Not really. It appears to be another merchant ship. It's flying British colors."

Lord Raymond looked through the spyglass. Sure enough, the ship had a British flag flying. But there was something disturbingly familiar to him about the lines of the ship. Raymond kept watching, and saw the ship turn in their direction. He recognized the figurehead; it was a ship he knew well and never wanted to see again. "Commodore, the ship seems to be heading this way. Shouldn't your men get ready?"

Shores took the spyglass and looked again. "Milord, go to your cabin. I recognize that ship as the Renegade. She'd been gone for several years; I'd hoped she'd been sunk."

Raymond started to protest, then saw the look on the captain's face and keeping his word he made his way most reluctantly into the great cabin. He heard Shores calling orders and shook his head. /Bloody navy. Captain Wright will tear them apart while I sit here waiting for him to find me./ Raymond watched out the great captain's gun port as the Renegade approached.

- -

The two ships converged and engaged, the guns of both ships firing mercilessly at the other. While the Relentless fired the regulation standard cannonballs, the Renegade peppered the Relentless and her crew with grape shot and caltrops, killing and wounding whole groups of men as the flying shrapnel hit its marks, the caltrops scattered on the deck making walking and running precarious for the barefoot sailors. At last, the Renegade was able to pull close enough to the naval ship so that the pirates began boarding.

Lord Raymond peeked through the cabin door and watched in horror as the crew of the Relentless slowly fell one by one to the Revenge. Then he noticed that the helmsman was dead, draped over the wheel. Captain Shores was nowhere in his vision, and he could no longer hear ANYONE giving orders to the Relentless' crew.

Watching the one-sided carnage before him was taking its toll on Raymond. He had no love for the navy, true, but he couldn't stand by in hiding and watch good men die. He checked the cabin for more pistols. Not finding any, he drew his Turner Original and strode out the door toward the helm, cutting through several of the attackers on the way, shouting orders and rallying men as he went. There was a definite tone of command in his voice and the air of his mannerisms; none of his usual lilt or prancing was in evidence. In fact, he seemed more at home giving orders and fighting than any of the marines.

Sailors scattered before him and made ready to run. Soldiers banded together after he passed and defended each other. When several of the soldiers tried to follow Raymond to the helm to defend him, he sent them instead to find and defend Captain Shores and Commodore Gillette.

As the great ship started turning with Raymond at the wheel, the men cut away the lines as fast as they could. The Relentless pulled away with fully half of the Renegade's crew on her decks. Raymond ordered all cannons loaded with grape shot and chain shot, crossed the "T" at their bow, and fired. Two of the three masts on the Renegade fell.

The Relentless' crew cheered and began immediately mopping up the few pirates remaining on their ship, giving quarter to those who gave up, locking them securely in the brig. While he watched some soldiers carrying Captain Shores into the captain's cabin, Raymond heard something behind him and turned, bringing his sword up in defense position. He recognized the man as Timothy Lewis, quartermaster of the Renegade.

Raymond grinned savagely and attacked. Lewis was momentarily thrown off guard as the man dressed in lavender and pink before him bore down on him with the voracity of a pirate.

"Lewis, give it up! You're taken! Your men are surrendering and the Renegade will never catch us. You can't win."

"Then I'll take you to hell with me, you bloody poof!" He slashed at Raymond, who was deftly parried the blow.

"All right then, have at it." Lord Raymond growled and attacked in earnest, his heart singing as he struck Lewis in the side.

A crowd of men gathered, watching as Raymond and Lewis fought. Once, the men applauded as he tied off the wheel maintaining parries and ripostes, without even looking at Lewis; he was clearly the superior swordsman, though his tactics were not always orthodox. In fact, many of the men recognized his style as that one would expect of a well-trained, experienced pirate.

Round and round they danced, Lewis falling back as Raymond advanced, a demonic gleam in his eyes and a wide, delighted grin on his face, no longer composed and serene. A sudden, lucky thrust from Lewis pierced Raymond's shoulder, making him drop his sword positioned for the killing blow; Lord Raymond pulled his pistol from his belt with his left hand, cocking it as he drew and shot Lewis point blank in the chest. He watched calmly, the red stain from his shoulder spreading across his chest, as Lewis fell.

Soldiers and sailors alike cheered as Raymond put his pistol away and picked up his sword, wiping it off on the dead man and sheathing properly in its scabbard descending from the quarterdeck ordering, "clear away that mess and head this ship on its way back to Port Royal. If you sight black sails, run up a flag of truce and come and get me. I want Wright and his crew stopped before they can cause more trouble." One of the sailors moved immediately to the helm, unhooked the wheel and set course for Port Royal while Lord Raymond, refusing all offered assistance, carefully made his way to his cabin to rest.

- -

Click.

Raymond's eyes snapped open. Other than that, he made no movements. He knew that sound, the click of a pistol being cocked, and didn't want to frighten the wielder and startle them into doing anything stupid. Moving only his eyes, he was surprised to see Gillette standing next to the bed, several red stains on his uniform. The lilt in the governor's voice was definitely back and going strong. "Is this a new way to say 'good afternoon' to the governor of Jamaica?"

Gillette's hand didn't move. "No, milord. This is the polite way of saying 'good morning' to a pirate."

Raymond sat up slowly, holding his wounded shoulder. His eyes narrowed and his voice dropped dangerously to just above a whisper. "You obviously do not know to whom you are speaking, Commodore. Now I would suggest that you go back to your cabin and rest till the doctor gets to you and we both forget about this little act of treason."

"I don't think so, Sparrow. If either of us has committed treason, it is you, and I'll see you drawn and quartered for it."

Raymond sat up straight. "Commodore Gillette, first of all, put the pistol down before I have you arrested and stripped of rank." Gillette hesitated, but lowered the pistol so that it was no longer pointing at Lord Raymond. "Second, I am, in fact, Raymond Charles Jonathan Stewart, Lord Smythe-Douglass, Earl of Jamaica, and First Sea Lord of the Caribbean. These titles were given to me by King Charles II, and continued to be so acknowledged by King James II, William and Mary, Queen Anne, and currently by our good King George I, who has recently added to my titles by naming me Viceroy of the West Indies. I am 67th in succession for the throne of England and 37th in line for the throne of France. All of this puts me so high above your station that, on a clear day, from a mountain top, you may actually be able to see me through a spyglass, if you were intelligent enough, which I doubt, to hold it to your eye instead of your arse."

"You are Jack Sparrow, former captain of the Black Pearl and a notorious pirate."

"Which means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things other than I am less of a threat to the king than you and half the misguided, miscreants, betrayers and rogues that currently surround him as officers of the royal court. I AM Raymond Stewart, Lord Smythe-Douglass, and what I have done as Sparrow does not concern you."

"Then you really ARE Sparrow?"

Snatching the pistol from Gillette's hand, Raymond's eyes narrowed, flashing dark fire. "You would come in here and threaten me without knowing this as fact? My dear Mr. Gillette, I do not care to even begin to think of how you ever became commodore over Ted. He has more sense in his left shoe than you have dripping out your ears! Suffice it to say, yes, I was also Jack Sparrow, and the most boring and unpleasant thing I have ever had to do was to accept these appointments from King George and hang Captain Jack Sparrow! Now go back to your cabin and wait for the doctor like the good little obedient Royal Navy toady that you are. We're on our way back to Port Royal, and I have orders for the crew to contact the Pearl at the first opportunity and send her against the Renegade, as I am NOT giving Wright the chance to make landfall and refit. Now, on another important note, how is Captain Shores?"

"He's alive, thanks to you. As is most of the crew, myself included. I do wish to thank you for that."

"And a fine thanks it is, too...shoving a pistol up my nose whilst I'm sleeping and threatening me on top of that. I should have you clapped in irons at the very least. Now, we'll need someone to pilot this ship into the harbor at Port Royal. Do you know of any still alive and qualified to do the job?"

"Just yourself, milord. Captain Shores and I are military men, not sailors. However, if need be, we can sail in close enough and send a boat to shore to bring back a pilot from the fort."

"Well, that is one thing I want to see changed. I want all officers trained and qualified as harbor pilots for emergencies just such as these."

"But milord, that is-"

"-Highly irregular. Yes, Gillette, it is. So is having your entire piloting crew killed or wounded in such a way that a naval ship is kept helplessly waiting outside of the harbor, completely useless, while pirates blast the bejesus out of a town with their nasty little cannons. So, Commodore Gillette, as long as I AM First Sea Lord of the Caribbean, all officers, from mere midshipmen to admirals shall be qualified to pilot through all the local harbors, savvy?" Raymond gave Gillette an all too familiar-looking grin, even with his perfect white teeth. "Once the doctor has seen to the rest of the crew, could you please send him in here? My shoulder can most definitely wait, but I believe it will need a couple of stitches before I have to take the helm. Now be a good lad and stop bleeding on my cabin decking and go to your own cabin and wait for the doctor?" Raymond lay back down as Gillette, confused by this peculiar turn of events, turned about face and almost ran out of the cabin.

Later that evening, the sailors of the Relentless stared in shock as Pearl's Big Brother pulled along side and Raymond explained to Captain Marty what he wanted done.

"No problem, milord. The Renegade will be at the bottom before dawn." Marty bowed and left.

- -

Raymond couldn't stop giggling. "And so George sent his letter to me, asking what I want done with the idiot!" He laughed some more.

Groves chuckled. "And he obviously thinks the king doesn't know who you are?"

Raymond handed the letter over. "Few people realize that my father, Charles Stuart, was kept from starving in Paris and freezing in the Hague while in exile through the charity of relatives, mainly William's family. I summered in Hanover until I was seven, and it was 'Uncle George' who gave me my first fencing lessons. Ah well. George wants to know what to do with the idiot. Well? Any ideas? Ted! How would you like to be a commodore?"

Ted looked aghast. "Have I done something to offend you, Raymond? I am quite happy with my present position."

The governor laughed. "Then I suppose I shall have to speak to Commodore Gillette. Could you tell him that I expect him for dinner tonight? Don't bother him with the details. But do make it clear to him that refusing the invitation is not an option." He took the letter back and put it in his pocket. Ted left.

- -

"Anthony, please give the commodore some more of that savory meat-pie." Anthony dutifully refilled Gillette's plate. "So, commodore. How do you like the food? I requested this pie made especially delicious for this occasion." He pulled out a letter with the king's royal seal on it.

Gillette took another bite of his pie. "This is quite good. The meat is a bit of a mystery though. I believe it to fowl, but it's too wild a taste for squab, and it isn't pheasant or grouse. What kind of meat is it?" He looked at Raymond, then at the letter. "A letter from the king? Good news, I hope?"

"Good news for some, I suppose. As for the meat, that's crow, commodore. When you sent your letter to the king regarding Jack Sparrow, you failed to consider that 'Uncle George' has known my identity all along. He sent me your letter, asking me what to do with you."

Gillette's face was one of horror. "M...Mi...Milord, I thought-"

"No, commodore, you did NOT. HAD you been thinking, you would have realized that had Commodore Norrington not already had proof, he would never have become what he is today. However, instead of stripping you of rank or wasting good rope hanging you, I shall give you the opportunity to redeem yourself. I have already made arrangements with Robert. You shall have the same 'voyage of discovery' training I gave him. When you return, perhaps you will not be so arrogantly 'high strung' and proper. I require loyalty, Commodore, but I do understand that such loyalty as I demand must be earned. The Black Pearl will be in port with the night tide. It sails again at dawn. Be on it or be hanged. I shall see you in a month or so."

Gillette bowed, not sure if he was relieved or not. "Thank you, milord."

Raymond grinned evilly. "We'll see when you get back whether you still think that thanks are in order. Now off with you. Shoo. Oh, and pack a very light sea-kit. You will be furnished with everything you need." Gillette left.

- -

TBC 


End file.
